


Unfocussed

by actuallyronanlynch



Category: Free!
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-12
Updated: 2014-10-12
Packaged: 2018-02-20 22:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2446169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actuallyronanlynch/pseuds/actuallyronanlynch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I originally posted this on my ff.net account about a year ago, but decided that it would be best to edit and transfer it over to AO3 because it's the site I use now. Hope everyone enjoyed!</p></blockquote>





	Unfocussed

He made it so hard to focus.

Rei often found himself wondering how he could even  _function_ with Nagisa around. The small blond was constantly teasing, distracting, and often irritating the other boy, so why did he put up with him in the first place?

Rei let out a long breath. He already knew the answer to his own question. It was because Nagisa made him feel like no one else did; even if that meant he ended up embarrassed and unfocussed.

Rei dove into the pool in one swift motion, nearly faltering as he heard his name being called. He continued on, zipping (nearly) effortlessly through the water. His swimming was improving, that much he knew. He resurfaced and took a deep breath, before quickly plunging back underwater. He was doing the same stroke he always did; the butterfly. It was the only one he knew how to do, but that didn't bother him.

"Rei-chan!" he heard Nagisa exclaim as he broke the surface for air, having finished the lap he was doing. He looked up at the grinning blond, and offered a small smile in return. "You did great, Rei-chan!" Nagisa beamed, offering a hand to help Rei out of the water.

"Thank you, Nagisa-kun," Rei replied, scooping up his towel off the pool floor. They had resorted to training indoors now that fall was upon them, but none of them seemed to mind it much. Haru, of course, just wanted to be in the water.

Rei rubbed the towel over his head, drying his hair, and Nagisa laughed softly. "Your hair gets all spiky when you do that." he explained, and Rei shook his head slightly.

"You're the only one who notices." he replied, smoothing down his hair with his hands. Nagisa gave a small shrug, approaching the pool and waiting for Makoto to finish his lap before diving in himself.

Rei draped his towel around his neck, watching his other teammates swim for a moment, taking in his surroundings. Their practices were always joint practices with other schools' swim teams, but he didn't mind. He enjoyed watching the other swimmers' forms, observing ways he could improve his own techniques. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned his head to see Makoto.

"Good job, Rei-kun. You trained hard today." the boy said, and Rei nodded in response.

"Thank you, Makoto-senpai. Practicing helps more than researching." he confessed, and the brunet smiled softly in response.

Haru and Nagisa soon joined the two, and swimming practice ended for the night. The boys changed back into their uniforms, and Rei headed to the train station.

"Rei-chan!" he heard a high-pitched voice calling, and knew who it was without having to turn around.

"Hi, Nagisa-kun." Rei said as the smaller boy came to a halt beside him. He looked down at Nagisa with a hidden fondness, and Nagisa smiled happily back at him.

"Practice tonight was really fun! I'm so tired now, though." he told Rei with a small yawn. Rei chuckled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants.

"You worked hard," Rei replied, and the blond beamed back at him.

"Do you think I could walk home with you today, Rei-chan?" Nagisa asked, and Rei's brow furrowed slightly. Nagisa always walked home with him. He didn't see why he had to ask.

"Of course, Nagisa-kun," he replied, looking at the smaller boy curiously. Nagisa just smiled back, but it wasn't his usual smile. It was softer, gentler, not as happy-go-lucky as it always was. Rei shrugged it off, and looked up as the train pulled into the station.

Nagisa and Rei walked slowly, side-by-side, a comfortable silence settling over them. The night air was cool against Rei's damp hair, and he wished he had worn something warmer than his button-up uniform shirt.

The boys turned the corner, following the familiar route that took them passed Rei's house, where Nagisa would say goodbye and continue on to get to his own home. Nagisa whistled a quiet tune, but other than that, neither of them made a sound.

Rei found the silence slightly unsettling. It wasn't like Nagisa to be quiet. He usually talked the entire way home, and Rei would patiently listen and occasionally interject himself.

"Is something bothering you, Nagisa-kun?" Rei questioned, stopping as they reached the path that lead to Rei's front door. Nagisa bit his bottom lip, looking up at Rei with a troubled expression.

"Sort of," he replied, clasping his hands behind his back. "I had something I wanted to ask you, but I haven't quite gotten around to it yet." he added with a small smile.

Rei reflexively pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, cocking his head to the side quizzically. "Well, ask away, Nagisa-kun." he said, and the other boy took a loud, deep breath, as if he was preparing for a heavy weight to be lifted from his shoulders.

"Rei-chan.. Have you ever been kissed before?" the blond asked, and Rei felt his cheeks flush.

"I-I don't see the point in asking such a question-" he started, but was cut off by warm lips pressing against his own.

Nagisa wound his arms around Rei's neck, and suddenly, Rei's arms were wrapped around Nagisa's tiny torso. Nagisa switched back to standing on flat feet, having had to stand on his tip toes to kiss Rei, and the two boys held each other in their arms. Nagisa pulled away first, taking a long breath of air, but their arms stayed coiled around each other.

A shiver ran up Rei's spine as Nagisa exhaled, his breath warm against Rei's lips. "Nagisa-" Rei murmured, but was cut off by another kiss. This continued on for a few more moments before Rei broke away, feeling dizzy and light-headed. Nagisa let out a small giggle, releasing Rei, slipping his small hand into the other boy's instead. He stood on his tip toes once again, lips pressed against Rei's ear. "I like you, Rei-chan," he whispered, squeezing the blue-haired boy's hand tightly.

And just like that, he was gone.

Rei stood there alone, and blinked, processing what had just occurred.

_Nagisa had kissed him._

And then run off.

Rei let out a long breath he had been holding in, and pushed his bangs off of his forehead.

"Oh, Nagisa," he said quietly to himself. "I really can't focus on anything when you're around."

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this on my ff.net account about a year ago, but decided that it would be best to edit and transfer it over to AO3 because it's the site I use now. Hope everyone enjoyed!


End file.
